MTV moves up awards show to avoid Obama conflict

Taylor Swift, President Barack Obama

/ CBS/Getty

(CBS/AP) MTV has moved up the start of its annual Video Music Awards so its fans won't have to choose between pop stars such as Taylor Swift and President Barack Obama.

Read more: MTV VMAs 2012: Rihanna, Drake lead nods

The show is airing Thursday, the night Mr. Obama accepts the Democratic nomination for another term as president. But MTV said it will run the show an hour earlier than it usually does to avoid conflict with Mr. Obama's speech.

The show will run from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET. The president is scheduled to speak from the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., after 10 p.m.

The video awards are a considerable draw for young viewers and usually run around Labor Day. MTV often uses the awards show to introduce new programming in the hour afterward but will not do so this year.

Last year's show was seen by 12.4 million people, more than anything on the broadcast networks that week and likely MTV's largest audience ever. The highlight of last year's show was Beyonce's announcement that she was pregnant.

This year's MTV VMAs will be a star-studded music affair with performances by Rihanna, 2 Chainz, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, One Direction and Frank Ocean. There will be appearances by Miley Cyrus, Rashida Jones, Wiz Khalifa, the Fierce Five U.S. women's gymnastics team, Demi Lovato and Katy Perry.

Comedian Kevin Hart will host this year's ceremony, airing live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles

Rihanna and Drake lead this year's pool of nominees with five nods each, while last year's big winner Katy Perry isn't far behind, with four nominations. Several acts, meanwhile, are up for three nominations each: Beyonce, Coldplay, Ocean, M.I.A. and the Throne.

[markodin92]

I don't think MTV wants to step on the shoes of Obama's speech and even though they didn't reschedule it, I hope their viewers flip the channel to see what he has to say. I'm on the night shift at Dish tonight so I will be recording both programs on my Hopper. The 2,000 hours of hard drive space helps me keep up with shows when I get home from work. I wonder what will be this year's Lady Gaga moment, but I bet the execs at MTV don't' want another Kanye moment.